The head of JSC Voentorg, Vladimir Pavlov, was detained on suspicion of embezzlement of Defense Ministry funds on an especially large scale

The Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs reported the detention of the head of JSC Voentorg, Interfax writes . Although the agency does not report his name, it is known that the post of CEO of this organization is occupied by Vladimir Pavlov.

The reason for the arrest is suspicion of embezzlement of funds from the Russian Defense Ministry on an especially large scale. In addition, as reported by the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the beneficiary of organizations controlled by Voentorg was detained. Both defendants were charged under Part 4 of Article 159 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (fraud).

The investigation believes that Pavlov committed the crimes in complicity with criminals located in Moscow, North Ossetia, Stavropol Krai "and other entities." He allegedly organized the conclusion of state contracts for the supply of "Army Toiletries" for a total of 625 million rubles. The products were purchased from manufacturing companies through organizations controlled by the fraudsters, the beneficiary of which was a 41-year-old native of North Ossetia. The cost of the goods was unreasonably inflated by more than 400 million rubles, which is how the criminals profited from the scheme.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs also reported searches at the residences of the leadership and employees of the Russian Ministry of Defense, as well as in non-residential premises of JSC Voentorg and a number of companies in Moscow and the region, Krasnodar and Stavropol Krais, the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania and the city of Pskov. In total, more than 30 witnesses were questioned in the case.

As The Insider investigative journalist Sergei Yezhov writes in his Telegram channel, Vladimir Pavlov is a long-standing business partner of the former mistress of former Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, and Pavlov also sponsored Yevgeny Prigozhin:

"You can look at the screenshot of the seating plan at the birthday party of Maria Kitaeva, Timur Ivanov's last wife. Pavlov was seated at the same table with Shoigu's daughter, Putin's bodyguard Dyumin and Prigozhin. Pavlov's salary at Voentorg is more than a million a month. He can afford a Mercedes and send his youngest son and daughter-in-law on vacation to a NATO country, Turkey.

In fact, I don’t think that Pavlov collected corrupt rent from Voentorg suppliers in his own interests. Well, not only in his own. As, in principle, did Timur Ivanov. The organizer of the corruption chains is now the Secretary of the Security Council, and the head of the organized crime group is the Supreme Commander-in-Chief.”

Prior to this, on July 26, former Deputy Minister of Defense, Army General Dmitry Bulgakov, who oversaw the logistics of the Russian army, was detained. Detentions of high-ranking Defense Ministry officials have been ongoing since April. Then, Deputy Minister of Defense Timur Ivanov was arrested on charges of accepting a bribe. He oversaw construction contracts and property relations in the Russian Defense Ministry. Sergei Borodin, Alexander Fomin , and Anton Filatov were also arrested in Ivanov's case.

In addition, in May the following were arrested on charges of accepting bribes:

• Chief of the Main Directorate of Personnel of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, Lieutenant General Yuri Kuznetsov,
• Chief of the Main Communications Directorate of the Russian Armed Forces, Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, Lieutenant General Vadim Shamarin,
• Head of the Department of the Ministry of Defense for Providing State Defense Orders Vladimir Verteletsky.